Seeking Relief
by 0RamblingRose0
Summary: Frustrated beyond belief that they can’t get any time alone with their young daughter on board the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose go for a holiday. Naturally they leave her with her Uncle Jack, but will they get the relief they are seeking? Nine-Rose, AU
1. Chapter 1

Title: Seeking Relief  
Author: RamblingRose / irishlullaby  
Beta: crimedoc1 on LJ  
Rated: R-ish overall  
Genre: Romance, Alternate Universe  
Warnings: contains semi-graphic sex.  
Pairings: Nine/Rose, Jack/Ianto  
Summary: Frustrated beyond belief that they can't get any time alone with their young daughter on board the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose go for a holiday. Naturally they leave her with her Uncle Jack, but will they get the relief they are seeking?  
AU: Written for Isabelle, who won me in the April Support Stacie Auction (which btw… is time for the September Auction so please go help lend a hand!!! I am putting myself up for auction again as well. See my profile for details if you are interested in putting yourself on auction or want to see how to bid on some of your favourite authors.)

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"What about us?" Rose asked, tearing her gaze from the green particles clinging to her hand. She shook her hand as if to try and dislodge them and then removed the 3D glasses. "Won't we get sucked in too?" She turned toward the Doctor's leather jacketed frame.

The Doctor's hands dropped from their mad scientist pose in front of the white wall. His blue eyes saddened as he stared at her, before hardening into an unreadable mask. Then suddenly his face broke into a broad grin and a mischievous glimmer lit up his ancient gaze. He dashed past her; grabbing her hand as he went to the magna-clamps he had yanked from the middle of a Dalek and Cyberman battle several floors below. "Nope," he said proudly, using his free hand to pick up one of the clamps. "I have these. And you, Rose Tyler, will be tucked away safe with your mum and dad in the other world."

Rose's head jerked back in surprise, a frown appearing on her face. He searched her face, although she had no idea what he was looking for.

"Isn't that what you've always wanted, Rose?" he asked gently. "A good life with your mum and dad… Pete's rich, he can look after both of you the way your real dad always wanted…"

Shaking her head, Rose stammered "N… No…" She stopped and glared at him. "No," she repeated decisively. They had been through so much together… Zombies in Cardiff, reapers, his near death just this Christmas past, the Sycorax, cat nuns, werewolves, Sarah Jane, scribble monsters… He couldn't possibly be suggesting sending her away _now_. "I…" she felt her eyes sting with the beginnings of tears as she searched his face for any indication that this was a cruel joke or a test of her vow to stay by his side forever.

"Rose…" Jackie said.

She continued shaking her head. "No… I made my choice long ago, Doctor… I'm never going to leave you." For a moment she thought she saw the ghost of a smile cross the Doctor's lips. She looked at her mum and tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. "Mum… He hasn't got anyone. You've got Dad and Mickey…" she looked up at the Doctor then back to her mum. "He needs me… So he doesn't have to fight to protect this universe all alone…"

"If you think for one minute…" Jackie protested.

Rose squeeze her eyes shut and snapped, "Mum. Shut up and listen for once." Jackie's mouth dropped open in shock the same time the Doctor's did. "Mum, I don't say this often but… You were right. One day, I'll be on an alien planet and I won't be Rose Tyler anymore." She slowly entwined her fingers with the Doctor's as she shifted to stand beside him. "Only… this Earth _is_ the alien planet. For me, the TARDIS is home." She opened and closed her mouth a few times and felt the Doctor's hand squeeze hers reassuringly. "And…" she swallowed hard. "And I don't know that the Rose Tyler you know and remember ever really existed."

"She's your mother, Rose," the Doctor murmured. Jackie's eyes lit up with sudden hope as she looked at the Doctor, silently pleading for him to convince her daughter to come where it was safe. "If you stay with me, you'll never be able to see her again. The walls between the universes will be firmly closed."

"Never?" Rose asked softly, as if realising for the first time precisely what her choice meant. She looked at her mum, and then over at her dad, hovering next to Mickey with his hands in the pockets of his designer suit, his eyes fixed on his polished shoes. Taking a deep breath, Rose reached out with her free hand and clasped her mum's shoulder. "You'll have Dad and Mickey," she said once more. "You'll all have the life you deserved. Besides, how will you go about explaining a fully grown daughter when Dad's bloody famous?" Jackie opened her mouth to object, but Rose shook her head. "I'd rather you go and start a new and better life, Mum… Where you can gaze up at the stars every night and know that, somewhere on the other side of the Void, I'm there. Alive and safe. Protecting the universe by the Doctor's side."

Suddenly, Jackie flung her arms around Rose's neck, hugging her tightly. "I love you," Jackie whispered. "Take good care of him…" She pulled back and glared at the Doctor. "And you…"

"Please don't kiss me again," the Doctor said flatly. Rose half smiled as she remembered the Doctor's shudders of revulsion at the flat earlier that day when her mum had grabbed him for a joyous hug and kiss upon arrival. Instead of a repeat of her earlier embrace, Jackie just hugged him around the waist and rubbed her cheek against the scratchy material of his jumper. The Doctor released Rose's hand to return the embrace and stroked Jackie's hair soothingly. "I'll take good care of her for you, Jackie. You have my word."

"You best do," Jackie said sternly. She pulled away and gave them her best smile, the one Rose recognised as the one her mum used when she was trying to convince everyone she was happy when really she was dying inside. "The Doctor and Rose Tyler, in the TARDIS. Just promise me one thing. If any grandkids come along you'll try to get me pictures!"

Rose felt her face burn. "Mum!"

"We're not…" both Rose and the Doctor said in unison. Jackie puffed out a breath and rolled her eyes as they both trailed off and looked away.

"I'm only going because I know you wouldn't have it any other way," Jackie huffed. "He's made you as stubborn as he is. He's done you good, Rose…"

Rose put on her best smile and slid an arm around the Doctor's waist as Pete looped the big yellow button around Jackie's neck. Rose waved goodbye and then, in a flash, her mum, Pete, and Mickey were gone. She stared at the empty space for a long moment, tears stinging her eyes. Then, squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath, Rose nodded firmly. "Right then," she said, pulling away from the Doctor. "Let's get these robots sorted."

She looked at the Doctor. He was watching her with a blank expression on his face. Suddenly he shook his head to clear it and a bright grin lit up his face. "Fantastic!"

888

Jack ran full tilt towards Canary Wharf, ducking and weaving to avoid the creatures zipping through the air. It had to be them, it could _only_ be them. No one at Torchwood One was clever enough to deal with both Cybermen and Daleks at the same time.

He finally made it to the building and rushed into the first lift he could find, hoping he would reach the top floor in time. When the doors slid open, he was greeted by a deathly silence and an empty corridor. No sounds of exterminating Daleks, no angry stomps of Cybermen. Nothing.

Suddenly, the silence was punctured by a startled shout. "Rose!"

Jack raced down the corridor towards the sound of the Northern voice he still heard in his dreams. At the end of the hallway, a set of doors appeared to have been blown off their hinges. He clambered over debris into the room beyond and he screeched to a halt as he saw the Doctor frantically untangling himself from a rope tied about his waist and hurling himself across the room to the limp form of Rose Tyler.

His heart froze as he watched the Doctor pull Rose into his arms, fighting one-handed to release her from another rope tied around her waist. "You stupid, stupid little ape," the Doctor said, his voice heavy with emotion as he stroked Rose's face.

"Oww…" Rose groaned. "My head… What happened?"

"Your hands slipped off the lever," the Doctor said gently as he helped Rose sit up. He took her face in his hands. "When the breach closed, you flew right into the wall when you reached the end of the rope. I thought I had lost you…" He kissed her forehead. "You stupid --" he kissed her nose "-- _stupid_ --" one cheek "-- brave --" her other cheek "-- little ape."

Rose yelped in surprise when the Doctor pressed his lips to hers and he pulled back with a jerk, as if he had been burnt. Jack watched as she searched his face for a moment before diving forward to return the kiss.

Jack simply watched them for a long moment, a smile on his face. It seemed as if the Doctor and Rose had finally managed to stop dancing around their feelings for one another. Rose's fingers danced over the leather of the Doctor's jacket as she brought her arms around his shoulders and then ran her fingers through his cropped hair and Jack head the Doctor moan softly. He looked down at his feet, feeling his face grow warm. Perhaps it would be best if he just found the TARDIS and waited there for them.

He took a few steps back but, just as he reached the door, his foot came down on a pane of glass that snapped loudly under his boot. Instantly, the Doctor spun around, placing Rose protectively behind him, and was brandishing the sonic screwdriver like a weapon.

Rose peered out from behind the Doctor's shoulder. She tilted her head curiously and recognition filled her eyes. "Jack?" she asked, stunned, as the Doctor lowered the screwdriver.

"Captain," the Doctor said gravely, climbing to his feet and pulling Rose with him.

Jack quickly snapped to attention. "Doctor," he said, saluting. He let his hand drop as Rose darted around the Doctor, a bright smile on her face. "Rose," he said, and before he could stop himself, he was moving towards her and she was moving towards him. He swept her into a crushing hug as they met, swinging her around joyously as she squealed his name with glee.

He only allowed himself to enjoy the feel of her warm, pliant body against his for a moment, lowering her to her feet when he caught the look of betrayal on the Doctor's face. Holding Rose at arm's length, Jack grinned. "Look at you! The last time I saw you, you were barely a teenager!"

"What?" Rose asked.

"Long story. I'll explain later," Jack said quickly. He looked over at the Doctor. "I've missed you guys. How long's it been for you?"

The Doctor folded his arms over his chest and his lips pressed into a thin line that clearly said, "Not long enough." Thankfully, Rose was more than happy to supply the answer. "About a year and a half. I'm so happy to see you! I'm sure the Doctor is too. Doctor?" She turned to look at the Doctor. "It's Jack. _Our_ Jack, Doctor. Aren't you happy to see him?"

Jack gave the Doctor a weak smile. The Time Lord shifted his attention to Rose and his expression immediately softened, a small smile appearing on his face. It occurred to Jack suddenly that Rose had no idea what sort of power she held over the Doctor. He had realised the strength of the Doctor's feelings towards Rose when he had been travelling with them, had been awed by their blind devotion to one another even though they dared not tell each other how they felt, and Jack had often wished he could be a part of it.

Rose and the Doctor had never been his lovers, though there were many times he had wished they were. Most of the time, he had looked upon Rose as a younger sister, and the Doctor as a brother-in-law. On occasion, he had felt almost as if he was their somewhat odd and awkward son trying to find his way in the universe. And then there were the moments in which he revered them as his own personal god and goddess.

It had taken him a long time to realise that Rose and the Doctor, and the life the three of them had made together, had been _more_ than family to him, more than lovers. That life had been _everything_ to him. Rose and the Doctor had made him feel that he was capable of so much more than what he had been. They had made him feel he belonged, made him able to be a better person.

And then they had just _left_ him on that game station, as if he was a discarded toy they no longer wanted to play with.

He wanted to yell at them, scream out the betrayal he had felt that day, demand to know why they had abandoned him. But he knew that this was not the time for it. He was almost positive that Rose didn't even know why he had been left behind, so the conversation he so badly wanted would have to wait until he was alone with the Doctor.

Instead, Jack looked at Rose and smiled. "It's been a very long time and I've missed you guys so much over the years. Please, let me come with you." He hated how needy he sounded, how desperate, but he was completely unable to keep the raw emotion out of his voice as he looked at the Doctor.

A bright grin instantly appeared on Rose's face. "Of course you can come with us," she replied, swinging their hands between them. "We've missed you too! Haven't we, Doctor?" They both looked at the Doctor, who stood silently, not replying to her questioningly look or at Jack's pleading one. "Doctor?" Rose's smile faded as the Doctor's expression hardened, his eyes zeroing in on Jack and Rose's clasped hands. "Doctor? Don't we want him to come with us? Haven't we missed him?"

She dropped Jack's hand and he instantly felt his heart plummet. Rose walked over to the Doctor and took his hand, entwining their fingers in the way Jack had always envied. He'd always been jealous that they had that sort of intimacy with each other, and that he would never be part of it.

"I waited for you two for so long…" Jack said, cursing himself for the catch in his voice and the pleading look he knew was in his eyes as he looked at the Doctor and Rose standing so close together.

"No," the Doctor said sternly, his eyes now fixed firmly on Jack's face. Then he made the mistake of finally looking down at Rose's face and registering her confused expression. Jack tried to ignore the hope that welled up in him when the Doctor's hard features finally softened. "Not… yet anyway." As Rose hugged his arm and grinned, the Doctor took a deep breath. "The TARDIS will need a good rest and recalibration after this ordeal. I can probably get her to Jackie's flat…" His voice trailed off for a moment as he seemed to feel Rose's joy disappear, and when he continued, he spoke more gently. "I'll need to make some adjustments before Jack can even touch the TARDIS without her taking off for who knows where just to be rid of him."

Rose's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh… well… that's… strange." Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I suppose we can clear our Mum's flat while we're there." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried to get her emotions under control.

Jack wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her tightly but he felt that would probably be something best left to the Doctor. He was pretty sure that if he got too close to Rose, the Doctor would be able to find a way to kill him, and keep him dead.

The Doctor slid an arm around Rose's waist and pulled her close. He looked up at Jack. "Meet us at the Powell Estates in about two hours. It's number…"

"I know which one it is," Jack said softly. The Doctor nodded firmly and waited while Jack headed out of the room.

888

The Doctor watched as Rose burrowed through her mum's laundry hamper. Ordinarily, domestics such as this were not his strong suit; he generally opted to run away before he could be entangled in tasks of this nature. But part of him felt that he owed it to Rose to make sure Jackie's things were properly sorted. Humans were funny like that, needing to make sure the belongings of a deceased family member were all neatly catalogued and put away in little boxes.

Rose pulled out a white jumper with a flowery design and smiled softly. "This is the jumper she'd wear if she wanted to seduce a bloke without making it obvious," she commented with a soft chuckle. She brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. "Still smells like that horrid perfume she always wore."

Rose tossed the jumper onto the bed and sighed heavily. "The rest of it's just track suits and dirty knickers. I'll sort it out later and see what we can donate to one of the local charities. Oxfam, maybe." She looked at the bed and the other furniture. "Could probably donate the bed and dresser, as well. And we'll have to find someplace to donate the washing machine and dryer… Might be able to sell them. Or the BHF or Salvation Army might take them." She plopped down on the bed and sighed again. Picking up the jumper, she sniffed it again and then burst into tears. "She's gone…"

The Doctor's every instinct screamed at him to go and comfort Rose but he fought the impulse, telling himself that she had known what would happen before she made her decision. Eventually, of course, he succumbed, his hearts winning over his head, and he knelt in front of Rose, taking the jumper from her fingers and cupping her face in the palms of his hands.

He had known for a long time that this was inevitable, that it would have happened one day, if Rose had continued to travel with him. The day Jackie Tyler passed away. He had even been trying to prepare himself for that day, knowing that if Rose was still with him when it happened, she would need him more than ever. Facing down monsters, Rose could do that with ease. But losing her mum would take more than just holding her hand, giving her a hug, and saying everything would be okay.

It would take sitting through Rose rummaging through Jackie's things, holding her as she cried. It would take more domestics than he could ever be comfortable with. But for Rose, he would do it, she was worth it. And he knew that she would probably never get over her mother mother's loss completely, it would always remain somewhere in her mind no matter how long they continued travelling together.

Rose looked at him with tears and mascara streaking down her face. "How could I just… tell her to go? Am I really that horrible?"

"No," the Doctor said gently. "You, Rose Tyler, wanted her to be happy. It should make you feel better knowing she's tucked away safe and sound with your Dad. Having the life together that they dreamt of when they were young and stupid." He gave her the best smile he could muster. "So, now you're a bit stuck with me."

Rose managed a weak smile. "Stuck with you, that's not so bad, yeah?" she asked with a sniffle.

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, wiping a tear away with his thumb.

Rose suddenly lunged forward and pressed her lips to his. When he gasped in surprise, her tongue darted inside to taste him fully. After a moment, he returned the kiss just as eagerly as he had at Canary Wharf, only a few hours earlier.

The Doctor felt her hand move until her warm fingers cupped his head, running her fingers over his shorn hair as she had done before. But something was different this time. As her tongue explored his mouth, the rush of her hormones overwhelming his senses, he recognised the taste of her desperation. His hands went to her hips as he leaned closer to her and Rose's hands drifted away from his head and hair, moving down to tease the collar of his jacket before tugging the garment open and beginning to push it off of his shoulders.

The Doctor let his hands drop away from her long enough to let his jacket fall completely away. When she pulled away enough to break the kiss and yank his jumper over his head, it occurred to the Doctor that perhaps she was motivated more by her grief and loss than by true desire for him. But then she kissed him again, and he felt her warm hands pressing against his cool flesh, and all thoughts of stopping her from making a mistake fled from his mind.

Instead, the Doctor stood up and leaned over Rose, pressing her down into the mattress. When she didn't immediately push him away, he let his hands slide beneath the blue top she wore. Rose moaned softly and arched towards him, letting her top be pushed upwards as his hands moved up her body.

The Doctor had spent so long wanting only to kiss his Rose properly, just once. And now he had, and he wanted so much more. And so did she. Her body was begging for more than a kiss, pleading for him to finally do what they had both been wanting for so very long. Without words, she tempted him to finally relinquish his self control.

And for once, he let himself give in.

888

When Jack arrived at the Powell Estates, he didn't see the TARDIS anywhere. After poking about the Estate for a while, and seeing nothing of interest, Jack headed for Bucknall House and climbed the stairwell to the flat he knew had been home to Jackie and Rose Tyler.

_Had been_.

He had picked up on the hints that something had happened to Jackie at Canary Wharf. He didn't know exactly what, but he hoped he would find out soon enough. Maybe the absence of the TARDIS on the playground simply indicated he was early. The Doctor had said two hours after all, and two hours in Doctor Time could easily mean a week.

When he reached Number 48, he paused for a moment, blinking in confusion. The door was not shut completely, but there was no sign of a forced entry. He pushed the door further open and entered the flat cautiously, one hand resting on the gun at his hip. He let out a relieved breath of air when he saw the TARDIS sitting in the living room.

So they were there. Were they in the TARDIS? Had they nipped out to grab a bite to eat? Suddenly, he heard Rose softly moaning the Doctor's name, followed shortly by a loud groan from the Doctor… Were they here doing something naughty?

Jack let his curiosity get the better of him and followed the soft sounds coming from one of the rooms. He passed a room decked out in pink and decorated with soft plush toys, the room of a young girl. Obviously Rose's old bedroom. It was empty so he continued on, moving past the bathroom to the second bedroom.

The door was ajar and his mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him. Rose and the Doctor together on the bed, naked, and completely wrapped up in each other. Rose clung to the Doctor, her legs curled around his waist and her fingernails digging into his back. The Doctor was braced above her, his hands clutching the duvet as the two moved together in the timeless rhythm of lovers.

Jack watched from the doorway as the Doctor's movements become harder and more erratic, Rose's breath started coming in short gasps.

"Rose… Rose…" the Doctor panted. "Rose… I… I can't… I can't…"

"My Doctor…" Rose said breathlessly.

Jack shook his head to clear it and slowly stepped away. He walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table with his hands clasped in front of him. He closed his eyes and smiled as the mingled voices of the Doctor and Rose cried out in completion. Other than the sound of the TARDIS, that had to be the most beautiful sound in the universe.

He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there waiting when the Doctor padded into the kitchen, fresh from a shower and wearing just his jeans. Jack looked up at him with reverence but the Doctor just scowled and moved towards the refrigerator.

Jack was quite used to the Doctor scowling at him, even though it had been… well… a long time since he'd seen it face to face. The memories he had of it honestly didn't do justice to the brooding Doctor. He waited while the Doctor rummaged through the refrigerator before setting a bottle of milk on the table and moving on to dig through the cabinets until he found what he was looking for… a bowl and a full packet of biscuits.

Jack had forgotten how much the Doctor loved to eat. In fact he was pretty sure there was a fete back in 1902 when he had just missed getting a good look at the Doctor. The crowds had been murmuring for some time about a thin bloke in strange clothes who had out-eaten the town glutton with a smile on his face. The Doctor turned eating into an art form, taking his time to savour whatever he put into his mouth, no matter how plain it might appear to be, enjoying the feel of it on his tongue, the texture of it, and the smell of it.

One particular memory that popped to Jack's mind was a visit to a 'Celebration of Sweets'. He and Rose had both watched as the Doctor sampled a cake and got thick syrupy chocolate all over his hands. Rose's eyes had widened and her breath had caught as the Doctor licked his fingers clean. And when the Doctor had offered a small morsel of cake to Rose, Jack remembered licking his lips and trying to decide who he envied more: Rose, for being fed cake from the Doctor's chocolaty fingers, the Doctor for having Rose's tongue darting out to capture the treat and her mouth closing around his fingers, or the cake for being trapped between the two.

It amused Jack to no end when the Doctor opened the package of ladyfingers, dumped them into the bowl, and doused them with milk, straight from the bottle. The Doctor glanced up as he picked up one soaked biscuit and popped it into his mouth. "The only way to eat them…" he said somewhat indistinctively before swallowing hard. "Though Rose does it much more effectively when she uses the shopping to have a swing at an Estate bully…"

Jack nodded as the Doctor stuffed a few more ladyfingers into his mouth before sucking his fingers clean. The Doctor glanced around the kitchen.

"I'm actually going to miss this place," he said around another mouthful of biscuits and milk. "Jackie always used to have to go shopping when we arrived because she knew I could eat my weight in these things…" He nodded towards his concoction.

"What happened to her? Did she…" Jack trailed off, not entirely sure he really wanted to know.

The Doctor swallowed his mouthful and then grinned at Jack. "Tucked away safe and sound on a parallel Earth with an alternate version of her dead husband, getting a happily ever after. Mickey too."

"And Rose?" Jack asked, his tone clearly asking for something more than the obvious.

The Doctor's grin faded almost instantly and a dark torment filled his eyes as he quietly replied, "She'll cope. Either that or she'll end up hating me, even though it was her choice to stay."

Jack sat quietly for a moment and then suddenly grinned. "Ah. So now that Jackie's out of the way, you feel you're free to shag her daughter all you want?" He trailed off when the Doctor glared at him, knowing that look entirely too well. "You're not… Doc, you can't…"

"It's not going to happen again," the Doctor said his tone low. "Neither of us were thinking clearly. It was a mistake. It'll just be best for us to pretend it never happened."

Jack snorted. "Because nothing says 'I love you' to a girl like shagging her and then telling her it was a mistake. Great way to make her feel like her sacrifice was worth something, Doc…"

"I took advantage of her fragile human mental state…" the Doctor insisted.

"Doctor, she loves you enough to send her mum to a parallel Earth and stay behind with you. I seriously doubt you were taking advantage of her," Jack replied sarcastically.

The Doctor sat in silence for a long moment, his eyes on his hands. "She's not like you Jack," the Doctor said quietly. "She won't live forever. Someday I'll lose her, whether to old age or other causes…" Jack felt his heart skip a beat. The Doctor met his eyes. "I can smell it on you. You're _wrong_. You're a scientific _fact_. You're impossible…"

Jack grinned. "I get that more often than I care to admit." The Doctor didn't seem to hear him, clearly distracted by the sudden sound of the shower running. "So… I take you don't want Rose to know what happened to me. I can manage that easily. So, how about you tell _me_ while she's otherwise occupied?"

"I can't fix you," the Doctor said bluntly.

"I just want to know what happened," Jack replied. "It's not everyday you wake up after being killed by a Dalek, surrounded by Dalek dust…"

The Doctor shifted uneasily. "I'm going to have to give you the short version because Rose generally doesn't spend more than twenty minutes in the shower…."

"Not a problem," Jack replied. "Short version now, long version later."

888

Rose stretched languidly and smiled as she felt an ache between her legs. She had awoken from her nap feeling sore from the rigorous love making and could only imagine how she would feel come morning… especially if he felt up and ready for another go before she fell asleep for the night.

She was also worried about how he would react to what they'd done. Part of her feared that he would do something insane, like sneak away while she slept, leaving her alone. Another part was afraid that he would turn cold and tell her what they had just done had been a mistake and that she could no longer travel with him. Worse yet, he might adopt his usual "pretend it didn't happen" attitude, the one he used routinely after any particularly devastating adventure.

The first fear subsided almost immediately, as soon as she heard the Doctor and Jack talking together in the kitchen. The rest remained firmly in place as she let the hot water soothe the soreness in her body. It had been a long time since she had experienced having a thick, hard cock thrust into her. She shivered at the thought and felt her face grow warm as she remembered the Doctor's aggressive behaviour as he neared orgasm. That wasn't something she had experienced with either Mickey or Jimmy, and neither had ever left bite marks on her shoulders and breasts. But it was certainly something she had enjoyed, and would welcome again. If her… new relationship… with the Doctor continued.

The hot water did wonders for her aches and by the time she stepped out of the shower, clean and relaxed, she felt ready to take on the world, no matter what the Doctor tried to decide for her.


	2. Chapter 2

"I love you," had come from nowhere. Rose had always thought that perhaps it would happen in the middle of some life or death situation that the Doctor didn't think they would survive. And that when they did manage to make it through, he would proceed to avoid her as if she had the plague for a few days. Or perhaps it would happen during one of their bi-weekly "this can't ever happen again" shags.

When she had padded into the kitchen one morning, her hair in a mess, wearing a ratty old dressing gown over a pair of equally tattered pyjamas she had thrown on because she had woke up sticky and naked after a night of "this can't ever happen again" activities, she had not expected to sit down to breakfast and find the Doctor staring at her. And not just staring at her but watching her every move with so much attention that she finally tilted her head and frowned at him before finally asking, "Is something wrong?"

She had expected to get his normal rambling discourse about how the night before could not happen again, that this time was really the last time they were going to anything like it. It had actually become a bit of a ritual since the first time it had occurred, just short of three months earlier. The only difference is that it hurt a little less each time he said it.

So when he shook his head as if to clear it and then softly uttered the words, "I'm in love with you," Rose's mouth had dropped open and her fork had clanged against her plate. Then she had promptly run to the bathroom to throw up. She had quickly blamed the alien curry from the night before and had then sworn under her breath when the Doctor pointed out that according to the TARDIS, she had done the same thing every single morning for the past two weeks. He then dragged her off to the med-bay because, apparently, curry or not, people just didn't vomit on his TARDIS without good reason.

They had both been relieved to find that she had no infections or other ailments that could prove dangerous. In fact, she hadn't been sick at all. On the contrary, her nausea had been caused by the foetus that was growing contentedly in her womb. The foetus that was just a few days short of being three months on.

After the initial shock wore off, they both agreed that at least something good had come of clearing out Jackie's flat.

However, upon hearing the news Rose had burst into tears at the realisation, sobbing out her anguish that her mum would never get to know she was going to be a grandmother. After a few moments, the Doctor hesitantly said that there might possibly be a way…

She hadn't been able to hug her mum or touch her in any way at all, or two universes might collapse. But they'd had a good laugh over the fact Jackie was expecting too. And Rose had discovered that her mum was very happy with her new Pete, although she missed Rose very much and repeatedly said that the new baby would never replace Rose in her heart.

The entire experience had been extremely emotional, but it had made Rose feel more at peace with her choice to stay with the Doctor. And the rather loud and obnoxious bride-to-be that had popped into the TARDIS right after the final breach had closed had certainly helped to distract both Rose and the Doctor.

And ever since the first day the Doctor said he loved her, he had made a point to say it often. Sometimes he even woke her up in the middle of the night to tell her, and then show, her just how very much he did love her.

They had arguments, of course, just like any other couple. Because Rose had at first insisted that they not find out the gender in advance, they argued about whether the baby would be a boy or a girl. Much to Rose's surprise, the Doctor had refrained from "peeking" until she gave in and allowed him to check. In the end, despite his all-knowing Time Lord superiority, he had been wrong and she had been right… a fact she would probably tease him about until her dying day.

They had argued over baby names constantly. The Doctor had insisted upon a long and complicated Gallifreyan name for their future daughter while Rose demanded something simple that came from Earth. Eventually, the Doctor picked the longest pronounceable word in an official Earth dialect that he could find and liked and announced that it would be their daughter's name. Rose had cringed a bit when the Doctor rang up Jack to announce the birth of Kanmuriwomageru Tyler. Jack had laughed and said he would just call her "Muri," and much to the Doctor's disgust, the nickname stuck.

As Muri grew, she was the image of her Mum, although she had her Dad's eyes and his thick Northern brogue. By the age of five she could speak fifty languages and expound upon String Theory… and explain in detail to some of Earth's top scientists why it was totally wrong. By six she not only knew the Time Traveller's Code of Ethics backwards and forwards, but knew how to blatantly disregard them. She even had her own miniature sonic screwdriver, with two settings on it -- a high pitched frequency that automatically adjusted to any target to repel it and a Universal Door Opener, for those few times she got kidnapped and needed to escape an alien prison cell, which could easily blow up the door to her parents' room if she felt the need to interrupt whatever it was they were doing in their bedroom.

After replacing the door for the fifth time, the Doctor and Rose decided it would probably prove best just to leave the door unlocked.

888

Muri tiptoed down the TARDIS corridor, quieter than a mouse. She was clutching a plush tribble to her chest with one hand whilst in her other hand was the little sonic screwdriver her dad had given her for her last birthday. She had been woken up by a bad dream about some aliens who had recently kidnapped her and her mum. Her dad had rescued them very quickly, but in the dream, the aliens had killed him in a way that he couldn't regenerate and Muri and her mum had been left in the aliens' prison for ever and ever.

She told herself, and her faithful tribble friend Shatner, that she was only going to her mum and dad's room to make sure that they weren't having nightmares also. Because that's what good Time Lords and Ladies did, made sure their companions were taken care of before worrying about themselves. And a good Time Lady never ever let nightmares scare her enough to crawl into bed with mum and dad either. Especially when the universe was depending on her to make the harder choices… well, when she was a bit older, that is.

When she reached the large, heavy wooden door with the Lungburrow family crest on it, Muri caught her bottom lip between her teeth and fidgeted. She debated, for a moment, whether it would be better to go back to bed and just keep the bedroom lights on. The last time she had gone to check on mum and dad in the middle of the night, Dad had been rather upset. But then, she supposed that had more to do with the fact that half of their door exploded than anything else. Mum had sorted it all out in the end, insisting that a cold shower would help calm Dad down.

And anyway, the fact still remained that she had woken up from a nightmare and really, really needed to… make sure mum and dad were okay too. And that was the only reason that she reached up to wrap her small fingers around the doorknob and give it a good twist. Much to her delight, the door wasn't locked and opened right up without a problem.

She was immediately greeted by the sound of her mum giggling, followed by her dad growling and her mum giggling some more. For some reason, they were both buried underneath the bed coverings. "Mum? Dad?" Muri said hesitantly.

The bed coverings ceased their movement for a moment and then Dad bolted from under the duvet, tugging a pair of black shorts into place. Mum giggled and sat up, the duvet falling to her waist as she smoothed down her nightgown. Muri pursed her lips and glanced to the bathroom into which Dad had disappeared.

"What is it, Sweetheart?" Mum asked, tilting her head slightly.

Muri held her head up proudly and said somewhat defiantly, "I had a nightmare. I wanted to make certain you and Dad didn't have one as well."

Mum smiled softly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Daddy and I hadn't gone to sleep yet. But…" she pinched her tongue between her teeth, "you and Shatner are more than welcome to snuggle up between us to make sure we don't have any nightmares tonight."

Muri grinned happily. At least she had Mum fooled. "We wouldn't dream of returning to my bed if there's a chance you and Dad might yet have nightmares." Mum pulled back the duvet, patting the bed, and Muri skipped happily to the bed, setting her little sonic screwdriver next to Dad's larger one on the bedside table, before crawling into the bed next to Mum. Hugging her plush tribble to her chest, Muri snuggled up to Mum's warmth and sighed with contentment.

A few minutes later she felt the bed dip and she felt her father start gently stroking her hair. "She wanted to make sure we didn't have nightmares, Daddy," Mum said gently.

Muri bit her bottom lip and waited until she heard Dad's hum of approval before allowing herself to breathe again. "I certainly feel safer with her in here with us," Dad said. "Don't you Mum?"

"Oh yes, I certainly do," Mum replied.

Between the warmth and coolness of her Mum and Dad, and the feeling of Dad softly petting her hair, Muri quickly fell back to sleep and dreamt of much more pleasant things.

888

Rose hummed softly as the Doctor eased into the bed behind her. He grinned wickedly and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. It had been nearly two hours since Muri and Rose had drifted off to sleep, but he was still very much awake. Perhaps if Muri hadn't chosen the exact moment when he was preparing to slide into his Rose, he wouldn't be so wide awake now.

It seemed that lately Muri had a knack for picking the most inopportune times to announce her presence or blow up their door. But Rose assured him that it was perfectly normal behaviour for a child her age and that her mate Shireen was going through the same thing with her little one. When he asked how many doors Shireen had replaced so far, Rose had pursed her lips and said that there were some things caused by the fact Muri was _his_ daughter.

But he currently had more pressing matters to tend to. Rose was still sleeping and he needed to ask her a question. When he gave her shoulder a soft bite, Rose's hips pushed back against him and she moaned softly. She brought her hand to where their daughter lay and softly murmured, "Muri's still in the bed, Doctor."

"I've come up with two fantastic plans, Rose," he whispered into her ear.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he replied. "One I'm very certain you will say 'No' to, but the other I think you'll find hard to resist."

"Which one would I be very certain to say 'No' to?" Rose asked, gently petting Muri's hair.

"It involves us being extremely quiet and using very carefully calculated movements," the Doctor explained. Rose shivered in anticipation but tried to reign in her body's response, as the last thing she really wanted was to have Muri wake up while the Doctor's touches were arousing her. His hand drifted down to her knee and he cupped it in his large palm. "Right here… right now…"

Rose yelped and tightened her leg muscles to keep him from moving her leg. "Doctor!" she hissed. "Muri is in the bed!"

"Which is why I said you would most certainly say 'No'," he pointed out, his hand moving back to the safety of her hip. "The other option… the one I think is absolutely fantastic by the way… is that we let Muri stay with her Uncle Jack for what would be a week to her, while we have ourselves a three week holiday at the Horsehead Nebula Retreat in the 60th century. Three weeks of stardust bathing, watching young stars being born, fine dining, and enough shagging to make up for only being able to do it fifteen times in the last seven years." When Rose opened her mouth to object, he added, "The five quick goes on the kitchen table while Muri was having a bath don't count. Neither of us were happy with those endings."

Rose shrugged and hummed, "Can't argue with that," she said, smiling to herself.

"What do you say? Three weeks of me doing unspeakably filthy things to you while Muri stays with Jack?"

Rose grinned broadly and turned over far enough to press her lips to his jaw. "I like the sound of that. You just have to ring up Jack and--"

"Done."

"And pack us some--"

"That's done too."

Rose turned her gaze to the sleeping form of their daughter. "Muri's going to be in a sulk when we tell her we're going somewhere without her."

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"Are we there yet?" Muri chirped happily.

Their daughter hadn't sulked one bit when Rose had told her they were going on holiday without her and that she was going to be staying with Uncle Jack for a week. Quite the opposite happened, in fact. Muri had squealed happily upon hearing the news and had dashed away to take her bath and get dressed for the day.

Now Rose, with one arm around Muri, and with Shatner the tribble wedged between them, was clutching the railing behind the jump seat. The TARDIS rumbled and shook as it sped through the vortex, heading for Cardiff. Both Rose and Muri giggled happily as the TARDIS dipped and trembled.

"Almost there!" the Doctor shouted as he dashed around the console. "And… hold tight, ladies!"

The TARDIS settled down with a heavy lurched that sent Shatner tumbling across the grating. Muri yelped and hopped off the jump seat to chase after him as he bounced and rolled along.

"Da!" Muri said sternly. "you have to be more careful!" She picked up her plushie and hugged it tightly. "Shatner could have had an aneurysm!"

The Doctor looked at Rose sharply. "Have you been letting her watch medical crime dramas again?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "She says age appropriate programmes insult the intelligence of children everywhere! Not to mention that she says the medical and crime dramas 'stimulate' her 'much more advanced neural processing capabilities.' You can try arguing with that if you want, I'm just a human."

Shaking his head and sighing, the Doctor looked at his daughter, who was gently smoothing down her tribble's fluff. "I'll be more careful from now on," he said, keeping his face serious. "If you'd like, I can do a quick scan of Shatner to make sure he doesn't have an aneurysm."

Muri tilted her head to study him as if he was a slightly dim-witted child. "Da," she said slowly and clearly. "Shatner is a plushie. Plushies don't have aneurysms. _But_, had he been a real tribble and had one, you could have killed him with that landing. So _be more careful_."

She jutted her nose into the air and "humphed" before stalking to the door.

The two adults followed their daughter across the console room, Rose pouting slightly at Muri's apparent lack of concern about being away from her parents for an entire week. When they caught up with her, the Doctor knelt down to her level, giving Muri his most serious expression.

"Now listen. Your Uncle Jack is immortal. That doesn't mean you can try to experiment on him or test out salvaged alien tech on him," the Doctor said sternly. Muri rolled her eyes and bounced impatiently. "And no calling his friend 'Auntie Ianto'. Ianto is a good lad and he has said he doesn't like it."

It was Muri's turn to pout. "But Uncle Jack thinks it's funny," she whined.

"Your Uncle Jack also thinks it's funny to taunt a pterodactyl," the Doctor pointed out.

Muri's eyes widened as she pursed her lips. "Touché," she said, looking rather thoughtful. Suddenly she gasped with excitement and looked at her father imploringly. "May I please help feed Myfanwy this time, Da? _Please_?"

"No," he said firmly as he stood up, reached over her head, and opened the TARDIS doors to reveal the Millennium Centre. Almost instantly Muri let out a happy squeal and dashed out into Jack's waiting arms.

"Hey Munchkin!" Jack greeted, sweeping Muri off of her feet in a hug. "Hey! You still have Shatner!"

"Of course I do," Muri said, grinning ear to ear. "He was from you." Muri turned slightly. "Bye Mum, bye Da! See you later!"

The Doctor blinked in shock as Jack toted Muri away towards the storefront that was the entrance to Torchwood. He looked down at Rose, who had come to stand beside him, and saw that she looked as just as stunned as his felt. A small smile tugged at his lips and he slid his hands into hers and gave it a faint squeeze. "Don't worry Rose," he said, closing the TARDIS doors then moving back to the console. "I'm sure that somewhere, very deep down inside, Muri is sulking about having to be away from us for a week."

Rose just stood there watching the blue doors as the rotor roared back to life. The Doctor called her name and she turned towards him with a blank expression. "What if… there's an alien invasion while we're gone… and…"

"Muri knows that if any alien tries anything with her she needs only warn them of who her Da is," the Doctor said, trying to reassure his partner. He held out his hand. "Come on. Just you and me? Just like old times?"

A smile finally spread over Rose's lips and she ran over to take his hand. "Just like old times…" she said, resting her head against his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

Muri clung to Jack's neck the entire way inside of Torchwood. Her bottom lip poked out when she didn't see Ianto waiting to greet them. "Where's Auntie Ianto?" she asked curiously.

"Sent him and Gwen out to get takeaway as soon as your Dad said what time you would be arriving. They should be back in a bit," Jack replied affectionately as they made their way downwards in the lift. "I'm sure Gwen will be happy to see you."

Muri's eyes lit up. "Oh! May I stay with Auntie Gwen and Uncle Rhys one night?"

"Certainly," Jack said with a grin. "In the meantime, let's go feed Myfanwy… Otherwise, she'll be all over the Chinese when Ianto and Gwen get back."

888

Jack and Muri were flinging large cuts of meat into the sky when Gwen and Ianto returned with the Chinese. Ianto took one look at Muri and another at the large bags he was carrying and frowned. "Well, that certain explains the excess food," he said wirily. "We were thinking maybe you were just feeling nostalgic and missing Rose and the Doctor."

Myfanwy swooped down to catch the last of the piece of meat and then soared upwards to make her escape from the tower. Jack wiped his hands on his trousers and turned toward his team mates. "I thought I told you both that Muri was coming to stay with us for a few days?" Muri smiled smugly and shifted to stand closer to Jack, who waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, what's it matter, she's here now, isn't she?"

Ianto eyed the young child, his lips pursed. To be honest, he really couldn't stand her. She was by far one of the most stubborn, arrogant, know-it-alls he had ever had the misfortune to meet. Although he figured part of that at least was due to being the Doctor's child; he'd met the bloke several times and seen the same behaviour come from the time travelling alien his lover was so fond of as from his daughter.

Muri had a bad habit of stomping around like she owned the place whenever she stayed with Jack while her parents got some much deserved -- and probably much desired -- time alone. To say the child had both Jack and Gwen wrapped around her little finger would be the understatement of the millennium. But Ianto wasn't fooled by her for a minute.

Then again, once Jack had explained the fact her father was, quite literally, the last _lord_ of all time and space, the arrogance was explained somewhat. But one would think that, with a human mother, she would be a bit more humble about her role in the scheme of things. Or that she would have better manners. But Muri's manners were sometimes no better than Jack's… leaving half filled tea cups of tea laying around, disassembling appliances and "making them better," and that she was the ultimate authority on anything and everything.

Not to mention her fixation with calling him 'Auntie' Ianto. He really. Really. _Really_ hated that. And she knew it, he _knew_ she knew it, because almost every time she said it, she would smirk up at him smugly. Jack thought it was cute, however, and encouraged her by using it too.

888

Over dinner, Muri regaled them with tales of her travels with her parents. Gwen listened, wide eyed with shock, as Muri gave rather detailed and graphic descriptions of the flesh eating acid saliva of the Brangox People on Parianius Gamma -- it was apparently used as a very effective torture method in those parts as it slowly stripped away the flesh layer by layer. She talked about the time she and her mum were taken prisoner and held hostage whilst her Dad tried to save the civilization from certain death.

After some even more lovely descriptions that made Ianto push his box of Chinese away, Jack and Muri ran through the Hub, shooting at each other with a laser tag set that Jack kept hidden in his office especially for her visits. Finally, at just about half ten, long after Gwen had left for the night, the girl started yawning and rubbing her eyes.

When Jack and Ianto returned from making sure everything was locked up and secure, they found her curled up asleep in Jack's desk chair, clutching the fuzzy little plushie that was practically her constant companion. Ianto found it amazing how such an annoying child could look so sweet and peaceful whilst asleep.

Ianto watched as Jack carefully scooped the girl into his arms and smiled gently. He thought to himself that, if it had been some other child, the image Jack presented, of a doting uncle, would have been nearly irresistible. Jack always treated the little girl as if she were the most precious thing in the universe. And in some ways, Ianto couldn't help but be just a little bit jealous.

"I'll be back," Jack whispered.

Ianto nodded tersely and stepped aside to let Jack out of the office. Jack toted Muri down the steps to a small sofa under the Torchwood sign on the wall before retrieving his greatcoat from a nearby chair and draping it over her. He grinned down at the child before jogging back to his office.

"Why do you care so much about a child you only get to see a few times a year, if you're lucky?" Ianto asked curiously.

Jack looked down to where Muri slept peacefully and smiled softly, "To be honest, she's part of two people I love. How could I not love her too?"

Ianto gave a tight smile. "I never thought of you as the sentimental type, sir."

"For them, I am," Jack replied affectionately. "As well as for someone else in my life." With that, Jack advanced upon Ianto, taking Ianto's face in his hands, and pressing his lips against those of his lover.

Ianto opened his mouth willingly and allowed himself to be backed up against Jack's desk. Both men moaned softly as they took turns exploring each other's mouth. Ianto smirked as he felt Jack harden against him and let his hand drift down to gently cup Jack through his trousers. Jack grunted softly and thrust against Ianto's hand before pulling back from the kiss and grinning at Ianto. "I say we take this somewhere the kid can't see."

"Brilliant idea, sir," Ianto quipped with a soft smirk. Jack had a thing for him calling him 'sir,' especially in the bedroom.

And not being one to disappoint, Jack's eyes took on a predatory gleam. "Meet me in my bunk, soldier," he said with a flirtatious wink.

The men stepped away from each other and turned to exit the office. Ianto startled slightly when he saw Muri standing in the doorway wearing Jack's coat and rubbing her eyes with sleepily. Shatner was tucked under her other arm and her bottom lip poked out. The few bits of hair that were not in her face were tucked into the collar of the over-sized coat. She sniffled slightly. "I miss mummy," she said softly, her voice wavering.

Jack knelt down and held his arms open but the little girl walked right past him, heading for Ianto.

"Auntie Ianto, will you tell me a bedtime story please?" Muri asked, wrapping her arms around Ianto's legs.

Though Ianto's usual reaction to being called 'Auntie' was not particularly polite, the look on Jack's face when Muri ignored him in favour of Ianto was simply priceless. Ianto smiled slightly and stroked the girl's hair. "What sort of stories does your mum tell you?" he asked softly.

"Stories about princesses and stuff," Muri said, looking up at him with watery blue eyes. "An' she makes me tea to help me relax."

Ianto stepped back and leaned down to pick the girl up. She was fairly small for her age and was still relatively light. As he rested her on his hip, she instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against him. "Well then," Ianto said gently. "let's go make some tea and get you settled into Uncle Jack's bunk. I'm fairly certain I can come up with a couple of princess stories."

"Will she live in a really big castle?" Muri asked.

"No, she'll live in an underground bunker that's bigger on the inside," Ianto replied.

"Will she be fluent in thirty-seven alien languages?" Muri said, grinning widely as Ianto carried her out of the office.

"No, she'll be fluent in 623, and be working on learning twenty more," Ianto said as he walked down the steps. "And she'll be a Ju-Jit-su Master."

"You tell the best stories ever, Auntie Ianto," Muri said affectionately. "Will she kick the butt of any prince that tries to kiss her?"

"Without a doubt." Ianto grinned as he heard Jack burst into laughter.

888

Roughly an hour later, Muri was sleeping peacefully between Jack and Ianto. Three empty tea cups rested on the small bedside table and Muri was cuddled up to Ianto's side, Shanter tucked between them. Jack lay on his side, watching the child sleep with a broad smile on his face. Ianto looked at Jack and cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"I thought you didn't like her?" Jack said, grinning.

Ianto sniffed dispassionately. "Sorry, I can't resist any little girl that is missing its mother. As you well know from when my niece was forced to visit. Besides, I just don't like when she calls me 'Auntie'. It's very wounding to my fragile male ego."

"Liar," Jack teased. "I think you want to dislike her but you are just as powerless as I am to resist her… _Especially_ when she calls you 'Auntie' because you know that means she sees you as an affectionate nurturing figure. Besides, when she goes to stay over with Gwen and Rhys, because you and I both know that no sex goes on when she's around, I'll be sure to re-boost your ego."

"Just because I told her a bedtime story doesn't mean I like her. Now, shut up and go to sleep," Ianto hissed, settling his head back against his pillow and smiled gently as he closed his eyes. Jack grinned to himself, knowing that Muri had finally won over his lover.

888

Rose plopped down on the cushiony bed with a soft groan. _Six hours_ it had taken them to get signed in. _Six_! And that was with the Doctor flashing psychic paper, making them believe he was Sir Thyme Lord, a very rich and powerful hero from the Kasterboros System, and swanning about acting as if he owned the place.

She looked up at the swirling patterns on the ceiling and giggled. "_Thyme_ Lord?" she asked.

"Oi!" he barked, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto a little table near the bed. "When I made the reservations, I left it to the TARDIS to put in a name and background."

"You actually made reservations?" Rose laughed, propping up on her elbows to watch the Doctor. "Now _that_ is impressive."

"It's the only way to get in," the Doctor said, yanking his jumper over his head and sending it to join his jacket. "Not even the President of the Intergalactic Alliance can stay here without a reservation, and he's the one that started the Horsehead Retreat. And in case you didn't notice the names of some of the other guests, spice names are fairly popular in this century. One of the most notable explorers around this time is Cilantro Trskylovia of Sol Alpha."

Rose giggled again and fell back flat against the bed. "Should I ring up Muri to make sure she's alright?"

"She's fine," the Doctor replied. "She's with Jack. Besides, telepathic link, remember. I'll automatically know if something is wrong with her."

Rose's eyes fluttered closed as she heard the thud of the Doctor's boots hitting the floor, followed by the sound of his zip being undone. She could just imagine him standing naked in the middle of the room, more than ready to pick up where they had left off the night before, when Muri had interrupted them. And whilst that idea was very appealing to her… "I know you haven't just stripped naked in anticipation of getting right to sex," she teased.

"Rose. I can count the number of times we've had sex in the past seven years on my fingers and toes so, _yes_ I did," the Doctor replied. "And I think you're just a bit over dressed, don't you?"

Rose propped herself up on her elbows again and cocked an eyebrow at the Doctor, trying not to let her breath catch as she took him in and failing miserably. He was standing beside the bed, naked and clearly in the first stages of arousal. "My God, I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing you naked," she said breathlessly.

The Doctor's eyes darkened and his nostrils flared as he leaned over her, planting his fists on the mattress next to her hips. "Let's hope not," he murmured before swooping in to catch her lips with his own.

Rose moaned softly and let him press her into the mattress, her arms moving around him as he kissed down her jaw and along the curve of her shoulder. "Doctor," Rose whispered, arching against him. "while I would really love nothing more than to shag you within an inch of regeneration, we just spent six hours waiting in line to check in. My body aches _everywhere_. I'm not as young as I used to be."

"You're not even thirty yet," he pointed out, pulling back to peer down at her and pouting in a way that immediately reminded her of Muri.

"Still, I'd like to have a nice bath and relax a bit before we get to 'business'," Rose replied. "Not to mention, I'm bloody starving…"

"Rose," the Doctor groaned.

Rose smiled softly. "Never said I had to have the bath alone did I?" she purred, running her fingers over his hair. The Doctor hummed quietly in agreement. "Think of the next couple of hours as being foreplay. Like before Muri was ever in the picture."

"I like how you think, Rose Tyler," the Doctor murmured.

The two had long ago relegated the two and a half years they had travelled together prior to that afternoon at her mum's old flat as extended foreplay. The slide of her hand into his had been the lover's caresses that fuelled desire and made her crave for more gentle and intimate touches. The hours upon hours of running for their lives had been the activities that made their hearts race and filled them with anticipation for what was to come. That long-ago afternoon at Jackie's had been the culmination of all those previous experiences.

Rose still missed her mum a great deal, but she thought that what she felt was what any daughter would go through when she lost her only parent. She had mourned and grieved, and occasionally still wondered what all her mum was doing in Pete's World. Was the child she had been carrying a boy or a girl? And what did they name it? If it was a girl, did Pete want to name her Rose, after his gran? If they had a boy did they name him Tony, after mum's granddad? Did Pete take Jackie to all the fantastic places she had always wanted to visit? Were they happy? Did Jackie regret leaving her daughter in this universe, the way Rose sometimes regretted sending her mum to Pete's? Did Jackie feel guilt, the way Rose sometimes did, that she didn't feel a twinge of regret over staying with the man and life she wanted more than anything?

They were all questions to which Rose would never know the true answers.

"I love you," Rose whispered, putting her hands on the Doctor's chest, one over each of his hearts.

The Doctor searched her face and smiled wickedly, both of his heartbeats speeding up at the sound of Rose saying those three small words. "I love you too, Rose Tyler. Now, let's go get that bath you mentioned." He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers.

The pair jumped in surprise when a loud knock came to their door. A small sliding panel on the door opened and they could see the bottom half of a face and neck. "All guests are required to come above deck in twenty minutes to enjoy in the Horsehead Couples Retreat welcoming tea and to get the itinerary for your first week." With that, the little panel snapped shut.

Rose pursed her lips. "I have a feeling this holiday is not going to go very well…"


	4. Chapter 4

"You are in this area at an unauthorized time," the little robot said, just seconds before sparks began to fly wildly from its body and its head popped off with a loud bang.

"They're everywhere," the Doctor groaned.

Ever since they had boarded the Horsehead Starliner for the interstellar cruise the Doctor had booked as part of their package at the Horsehead Couples' Retreat, the Doctor and Rose had spent the past 96 hours frantically dodging numerous small robots that continually tried to keep them on the schedule outlined on the cruise itinerary. They had tried to complain to the captain, but apparently he was extremely busy and was not allowed to have guests. Although it appeared that the Captain had actually been missing since the first night they had boarded the star liner.

The robots were everywhere. If Rose so much as went to the loo at an unscheduled time, one would pop up to chase her out of the bathroom. By the end of the first "day" of the cruise, Rose was so exhausted that all she wanted to do was sleep. Of course even that appeared regulated, as the little robots blundered into their suite very early the next morning to inform them they were due at the "Nebula Breakfast Buffet" in only ten minutes. No matter what they did, the robots interfered. On their second morning on the ship, the Doctor had tried to wake Rose up early, hoping for some privacy so that they could engage in the activity that had been the purpose of this holiday in the first place! But just as they were happily getting each other naked, one of the little robots burst in and informed them that they were engaged in unauthorized activities at that time.

Not only that, but it refused to leave! After ensuring that they stopped what they were doing, it remained in the room, standing guard to make certain that they didn't go into the shower together to engage in _more_ unauthorized activities. "Marital activities for guests are scheduled for the first two hours of the authorized end cycle period," the little robot had announced. "According to the itinerary, the masculine relationship figure currently is to be selecting the feminine relationship figure's clothing for today. Only those feminine figures with a body mass index of less than fifteen percent are permitted to wear swimwear that reveals their abdominal features if. Any feminine figures with a body mass index of fifteen percent or greater are only authorized to wear swimwear that covers the abdominal features. In addition, short pants are to be worn over swimwear until the authorized swimming time."

Many of the guests were afraid to disobey the robots, but the Doctor and Rose continually tried to engage in activities not authorized by the official itinerary. Eventually, when a rather robust looking woman whacked a robot with her parasol over dinner, the Doctor began using the sonic screwdriver on any robot that tried to regulate their behaviour. Unfortunately for the robots, the sonic screwdriver frequently caused serious internal disruption and often resulted in the destruction of the robot.

No sooner had the head of the most recently deactivated robot hit the ground, another one approached. "All guests are now scheduled to return to their quarters and prepare for dinner," it announced mechanically.

Rose groaned and looked ready to cry as she and the Doctor were ushered back to their suite. As they entered, the robot spoke again. "Guests are scheduled to check their occasional table for a note from the captain," it said. The robot remained standing stolidly in the doorway, apparently unwilling to depart until the "guests" had performed their scheduled activity.

The Doctor and Rose trudged into the room and looked down at the small envelope that lay in the exact centre of the table. "This must be it," Rose said dully, picking up the envelope and looking at it curiously.

"Guests are scheduled to open and read the message from the captain," the little robot said.

The Doctor glared at the robot and snatched the envelope from Rose. "I'd like to see what he's got to say," he snorted, tearing the envelope open and pulling out a little card embossed with the words "Thank You." His eyes widened as he read the message inside the card. "The ship's AI systems are malfunctioning and I am being held prisoner in my quarters by several security drones. All service robots are operating in an automatic default mode to ensure the safety of all guests. Your profile says that you are a hero from your system. I have managed to override the safety protocol for you and your wife. Please help me."

Rose's jaw dropped. "You're kidding," she said incredulously, taking the little card from the Doctor and reading it for herself. "This is not what I had in mind when you said 'just like old times'."

"Guests are scheduled to save the captain at this time," the robot intoned. They both looked at the robot, and then at each other.

"Fantastic," the Doctor said, as he took Rose's hand. Both grinned wickedly before dashing out the door.

888

The Doctor and Rose barely made it back to their guest quarters before Rose yanked off the ridiculous Hawaiian shirt that the Doctor had been authorized to wear. The shorts Rose had been authorized to wear soon followed, taking her bikini bottoms with them.

"God I love it when you get so… authoritative and… and… just…" Rose growled, tangling her fingers in his chest hair. "I wanted to shag you right then and there…"

"I know," the Doctor replied, his voice heavy with desire as he hurriedly untied her bikini top and flung it over his shoulder. It landed on the chandelier and seemed content to hang there as the Doctor swept Rose into his arms and tossed her gently onto the bed. Rose squealed happily as he advanced upon her, covering her body with his own.

"You still have your…" Rose groaned, tugging at the back of his authorized Bermuda shorts. "Get them off. Get them off _now_…"

The Doctor flopped over onto his back and fought to get the shorts off. Before he could roll back to Rose, she had flung herself upon him and was straddling his stomach and kissing him heatedly. Just as he flipped them over once again, there was a loud knock on the door.

Rose howled, "NO!" and then began to sob. "Why won't they leave us alone?!"

The Doctor growled, scrambled off the bed, and yanked the room door open. "What is it now?" he bellowed.

The little service robot's wheeled squealed as it reversed in a hurry. "The captain has requested the presence of Thyme Lord and his wife for banquet in their honour. The banquet is scheduled to start in fifteen minutes. Casual attire is encouraged." As soon as it finished speaking, the little robot scurried away, its wheels squeaking as it hurried around the corridor corner.

The Doctor groaned with aggravation as he closed the door. Rose already had the suitcases open, searching for appropriate clothing. He pursed his lips as she pulled on underwear and jeans. Glancing downwards, he sighed. "I have to take a cold shower first."

Rose quickly intercepted him as he began to stomp towards the bathroom, shoving him against the closest wall. The Doctor's eyes widened as she licked her lips and then dropped to her knees in front of him. Her fingers wrapped around his erection only moments before he was engulfed in her mouth. He moaned and gripped her hair as her hand and mouth worked in tandem to bring him quickly to completion.

The Doctor slumped against the wall as Rose climbed to her feet , wiping at the corners of her mouth before licking her fingers greedily. Her eyes glimmered mischievously as she turned away to finish getting dressed. He just stood there, smirking like an idiot, until his jeans and jumper collided with his face.

888

The Doctor licked his lips as he watched Rose giggling with a couple of women close to her own age. Her skin was flushed a soft pink from the champagne that had been flowing freely at the party. Everyone had been so happy that the little robots were no longer aggressively enforcing the official schedule that a few of them were whizzing about the room with shiny beaded necklaces hanging around what should have been their necks.

To the Doctor's eternal gratitude, the party was at long last winding down. He breathed a sigh of relief, realising that he wasn't sure how much longer he could manage to sit quietly and keep a smile plastered on his face when all he really wanted to do was drag Rose back to their room and not let her out of their bed for a week. Or perhaps two. What she had done for him earlier had been utterly fantastic. He always loved it when she went down on him with that sort of enthusiasm. But it was nothing compared to being inside of her. Her mouth was deliciously warm and wet, but her sweet centre was like fire around him -- soft and hot, clenching around him as he drove her over the brink again and again.

As he sat watching his lover enjoying herself, dreaming of what he would do to her when they finally returned to their room, he realised that he was thinking about their first time together. How he had lost control, leaving bite marks all over her skin during their first frantic coupling.

He'd never lost control of himself like that again with Rose. But it had been so long since the two of them had been able to be together… would he be able to restrain himself this time? Time Lords were not supposed to give in to base desires. And a Time Lord who could not control himself could not control other things, such as making certain his lover did not end up pregnant.

He'd been unable to control himself with Rose, their first time together. But he knew that he had no regrets. He wouldn't trade Muri or what he had with Rose, for anything. And he hoped he never tired of seeing the universe through their eyes.

The Doctor glanced away from Rose to accept a glass of wine from a tray being held out to him by one of the little robots. When he looked back, she was no longer standing with the group of young women. He scanned the crowd quickly, searching for her and soon caught sight of her across the room, standing near one of the many exits to the ballroom. He grinned happily when she raised her eyebrows and crooked her finger at him before ducking out of the room. He put down the untouched drink and eagerly made his way across the room and out of the door Rose had gone out of.

The Doctor was prepared to track Rose all the way down the long corridor but as soon as he passed through the door, someone grabbed the back of his jacket, spun him around, and yanked him forwards. A pair of soft, plump lips were pressed to his own and inhaling deeply, he breathed in the scent of Rose as he buried his fingers in her hair to return the kiss.

The pair staggered back until Rose was backed up against a wall. She clung to him desperately, grinding her hips into his until he could not help himself from doing the same to her. Moaning softly, Rose wrapped her arms around the Doctor's neck and pressed her body against his.

When he had first planned their holiday, he had made lists in his head of things he wanted to do with Rose. And to Rose. They had all been driven out of his mind by the need to evade robots, and later to rescuing the captain. But now everything came flooding back; what he had wanted, what she had wanted… what they had been denied for so long.

He lifted Rose up, sandwiching her between his body and the wall, while she wrapped her legs around his hips. The Doctor could smell the hormones flooding into her, taste her arousal each time his tongue brushed hers. His fingers dug into her hips as he captured her lips for another desperate kiss. "I… want to do such… unimaginable things to you right now," he panted against her mouth.

"Such as?" Rose said breathlessly.

"Right here. Right now. Where anyone could see…" he growled. "And dare them to---"

"There you are!"

The Doctor and Rose groaned in frustration as they heard the captain's voice. "Mister and Mistress Lord… It is time for a speech!"

"I've already done a speech thanks. Made me uncomfortable," the Doctor said darkly, glaring at the little round man.

The Captain fidgeted for a moment. "No, no… not a speech _by_ you. A speech by some of the other passengers… some very important people who were on board the ship… who you rescued…"

The Doctor lowered Rose to her feet once more and sighed heavily. What he wouldn't give to be able to take Rose and run to the TARDIS right now, escape from this nightmare of a holiday, go somewhere where they could do as they pleased, with no more "agendas" to follow. But no, the TARDIS was back on the docks in storage until their return.

As they followed the captain back to the party, Rose rolled her eyes and groaned softly, "God, I wish we had the TARDIS right now."

They shared a grin and suddenly the party seemed just a little more tolerable.

888

Muri pursed her lips as she watched a variety of ladies chattering away while having their nails painted and bejewelled. Sometimes she found Earth customs terribly silly, just like her Dad did when Mum insisted on going to the wedding of one of her old mates or purchasing something for a baby shower. But there were some things that she and her Mum agreed were brilliant despite her Dad's disapproval.

She quite liked the slides and playgrounds on the Powell Estates. She _really_ liked Easter, though she found the premise very odd. No matter how many times her mum tried to explain what bunnies and eggs had to do with someone coming back to life, she hadn't a clue. But then, neither did Mum really, until Dad explained that the eggs and bunnies went back to a pre-Christian spring festival that had been celebrated around the same time and that in fact many of the holidays Mum celebrated had originated the same way. Muri decided it was a surprisingly sensible thing for humans to do, combining two holidays into one, but Mum and Dad had both laughed when she informed them of her views.

And then there were some Earth customs that just fascinated her.

When Muri wanted time to relax and be by herself, she typically got her favourite book and settled down on the rug in the TARDIS library with a cup of tea. On Earth, it seemed that girls went to shops like this one to have their feet and hands massaged and their nails painted and decorated when they wanted to relax.

And such a place is where Auntie Gwen had brought her to one of these shops for what she called a "girls' day out." Auntie Gwen had gotten her hair trimmed and had asked Muri if she would like a trim as well. Muri had jutted her nose in the air and refused, saying politely, "No thank you. I wish to have long hair." But they had washed and dried her hair, which made her head feel very nice and they had put on some lotions that made it smell lovely. She even got her hands and feet massaged which, to put it in human terms, had been heavenly.

"Would you like to have your fingernails painted, Muri?" Auntie Gwen asked.

Muri pursed her lips and though about this. "Is the polish free from formaldehyde, toluene, and DPB's?" she asked.

The woman who was currently painting Auntie Gwen's nails looked at Muri blankly. "Pardon?"

"Harmful chemicals that can do damage to humans," Muri explained, hugging Shatner tightly. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Do you have any organic nail polishes? Mum and Dad have us on an almost purely organic lifestyle and I would really hate to return home with unsavoury chemicals on my fingers and toes." She cocked her head to the side to study the woman.

"You mean all that 'live natural' rubbish?" the woman asked, laughing. "That's all just marketing stuff. A little nail polish never did anyone any harm, now did it?"

Muri blinked at the poor human who obviously had no clue what she was talking about. "Well, actually, did you know that, in the late twentieth century, morticians have to use sixty percent less formaldehyde when embalming people than in previous centuries? It's because humans absorb so much formaldehyde from products such as house paint, foods, and even nail polish, that their bodies are already partially preserved?"

The woman stared at Muri, her mouth dropping open. As she continued to explain about the importance of a toxin-free environment, as her Dad had done several times to her, Muri became aware that Auntie Gwen was speaking rapidly to someone at a cash register in the front of the shop. Suddenly, Auntie Gwen reappeared and gave the nail technician a few pound notes. She quickly grabbed Muri's hand, gave a rushed apology, and ushered her quickly out of the shop and into the street.

Muri took a deep breath, pleased to be away from the overpowering scents that had been playing havoc on her acute, Time Lady senses. She slipped her hand into Auntie Gwen's and looked up at her. "I'm apologise if I interfered with your relaxation ritual, Auntie Gwen," she said tentatively. She hoped Auntie Gwen was not angry with her.

"That's okay, little one," Auntie Gwen said with a soft grin as she knelt down to Muri's level. Gwen reached up with her free hand and affectionately tucked a bit of hair behind Muri's ear. "I sometimes forget that you're not completely familiar with the way we do things here on Earth. You have to be careful because we're not the only organisation that deals with aliens and none of them would love you as much as meself and your Uncles Jack and Rhys."

"And Auntie Ianto?" Muri asked, clutching Shatner tightly.

She gave a soft laugh. "And your Auntie Ianto." She stood back to her full height and swung their joined hands. "I'll tell you what though… I didn't much like the smell of that place anyway. There's a nice little place just around the corner that sells organic cosmetics and nail polishes. We could get some and paint your nails back at my flat."

"I'd like that very much, Auntie Gwen," Muri replied happily, relieved that she had only mistaken Auntie Gwen's urgency with concern. "Can we get some ice cream?"

Auntie Gwen grinned. "Of course we can."

Muri's eyes widened and she skipped alongside of Auntie Gwen. "Did I ever tell you about the one time Da took me and Mum to Barcelona for the 47th annual Ice Cream Festival? We got to make an ice cream castle, like at the beach only it was made of ice cream instead of sand!"

"No you haven't," Auntie Gwen replied with interest. "Why don't you tell me while we're on our way to the shop?"


	5. Chapter 5

Gwen watched in fascination as Muri unzipped her Tribble plushie and reached inside, most of her short arm disappearing into the stuffed toy. Muri pinched her tongue between her teeth as she groped around inside Shatner and then her eyes lit up when she apparently found what she had been looking for. She pulled out a little white bag from her Tribble, handed it to Gwen, and then zipped Shatner up and sat him carefully on the counter.

"How… how did you fit your entire arm in there?" Gwen stammered, her face alight with curiosity. "That was amazing."

Muri shrugged with indifference. "It's bigger on the inside," she replied.

Gwen grinned happily at the young girl. "So many things in your life that people like me would find wonderful and for you it's as commonplace as the nose on your face…" Muri scowled and rubbed the nose she had fortunately inherited from her mum. "You must find it boring to stay here for a week when you have so many amazing things within your grasp."

"I like linear time very much," Muri replied. "Mum and Dad like hopping about through time and space, but I'd much rather stay a bit and see what happens between all the big events. You know, the small but important stuff that _leads_ to the big events." She took the little white bag back from Gwen and pulled out a handful of jelly babies. "Though no one does jelly babies like the sixties. Want one?"

Laughing, Gwen plucked a red one from Muri's hand and popped it in her mouth. "Don't you ever get lonely being an only child?"

Muri shook her head as she bit the head off a green candy. "I have Mum and Dad… and the TARDIS. They're all I need, so I don't feel lonely. And I think having a little baby on the TARDIS is foolish when they're constantly having to run for their lives…" She bit the head off of a yellow jelly baby thoughtfully, and then popped the rest into her mouth. "Though, should one come of their holiday together… I think I would very much like to have a little brother. We can name him Simon."

"Simon?" Gwen asked. "Why Simon?"

"After Doctor Simon Tam from Firefly," Muri said seriously. "Dad says Joss is brilliant so he lets me watch his stuff. Plus, Dad said Joss is a former Time Agent Historian so his stuff is a pretty accurate description of how things will be." Her eyes lit up. "Oh! A pink one!" She held up the pink jelly baby and grinned. "One of the quality control people didn't make sure this one had enough red dye." She beamed brightly after tossing it into her mouth. "Fantastic!"

Gwen turned as the flat door opened and Rhys walked in. He greeted Gwen with a kiss and then gave Muri a bright smile. "Well hello there, little one. Gwen didn't tell me you were in town."

"I didn't know until yesterday," Gwen replied. "She wanted to spend the night with us… if that's okay with you?"

For the past few years, Gwen had been insisting to Rhys that Muri was a member of her extended family. While he didn't much care for her to bring work home, Muri wasn't exactly work, even if she was half alien. As far as Rhys was concerned, Muri was just as human as he was. He also had no clue that Rose was not actually Gwen's third cousin or that Rose's 'significant other' was not just _a_ doctor but _the_ Doctor. Not to mention Gwen had told him ages ago that she had helped Rose get on at a London branch of Torchwood, where she had met the Doctor.

"Of course it's alright!" Rhys replied happily. "We could go down to the video store, get a few DVDs for after dinner. I've heard Disney has a few good cartoons out… perhaps even those… kid stars that all the little ones love these days."

Muri wrinkled her nose. "I'd rather not," she said politely. "Perhaps a visit to the library? I could get a book and…"

"Rubbish. Kids don't read books for entertainment," Rhys interrupted. "You're supposed to fill up on sweets and fizzy drinks and then dance about all crazy to the winner of Britain's Got Talent or the latest new teenage sensation!" He gave Gwen a nudge. "She gets to act like a normal child when she's with us, yeah? She can just relax and pretend she's not the daughter of two Torchwood agents."

Muri scowled as she listened to Rhys. Gwen didn't have to ask, she already knew what the girl was thinking. Muri felt she _was_ a normal child and that it was the other children who were the odd ones. Gwen knew from experience that being treated like a normal human child was something Muri didn't much appreciate.

However, suddenly Muri smiled brightly. "Alright," she said cheerfully. "But just this once. And only as a sociological experiment to find why, precisely, supposed normal children find such tedious behaviour important to their development."

888

Rose sighed with annoyance as the woman next to her continued nattering on about New Edwardian fashions, which were nothing like _Old_ Edwardian fashions. She had lost interest in the conversation before it had even begun. All she really wanted was to get the Doctor back to their room and shag his brains out, until he lost all control and could do nothing but shout out her name in ecstasy. And instead, they had been forced to sit through an unbelievable variety of dramatic interpretations of the Captain's rescue, ranging from a poorly choreographed, impromptu ballet performed by a supposedly award-winning interstellar freestyle troupe to a hastily composed opera sung by the same service robots that had been the original cause of the rescue.

"I could design something for you if you would like, Mrs. Lord," the woman twittered.

Rose blinked at her in confusion. Oh. Right. Thyme Lord. That thought brought an unintentional grin to her lips, which the woman took for delight in her offer.

"Oh yes, amazing, isn't it? To have the famous designer, Lady Paprika De La Rousche, design a gown for someone from such a _humble_ but noble lifestyle… You will be the talk of the galaxy!" Lady Paprika smiled superciliously at Rose as she continued. "You could wear it to the Captain's Ball at the end of the cruise! I'm seeing red! Carmine! It will to compliment that ravishingly pale skin of yours, and your hair! Thin shoulder sleeves only! No! No sleeves! Perhaps even no top!"

Rose blanched. "Erm. I'd prefer a top, actually. Having a child didn't exactly do wonders for my… bosoms." She felt a slight ache in her breasts and rubbed the side of one with the heel of her palm, thinking that she wouldn't mind the Doctor trying to convince her otherwise.

"I'd like to offer a different opinion on that, Mrs. Lord," a blissfully familiar voice said from behind her.

Both women turned. Rose grinned up at the Doctor and gratefully took the hand he held out for her. "Think of the devil and he shall appear," she said, beaming as he pulled her to her feet. "Doctor… this is _Her Excellency_ Lady Paprika De La Rousche from the Gemini Sector. She is a _very_ famous designer and wants to make me something for the ball at the end off the trip."

The Doctor's gaze roamed intently over her body and she shivered as he licked his lips hungrily. "I would like that very much," he said huskily and turned his attention to the gaudily made up woman. "You can have her for two hours tomorrow, after tea. And depending on my mood… you can have a final fitting with her a week before this… ball… thing."

Lady Paprika huffed in annoyance. "I will require more than--"

"My lovely mate is going to be a very busy woman for the two weeks left on this cruise," he said darkly, successfully stemming the flow of words from the haughty woman. "I'm sure that as we risked our lives to make sure yours was saved, you will see my stipulations as a challenge and do an admirable job."

"What in the universe could she be doing on a cruise ship that would make her unavailable for proper fittings?" Paprika sputtered.

Rose's eyebrows arched in surprise at the woman's baffled expression and a smirk slowly spread over the Doctor's lips. "She's going to be very busy getting properly shagged by her partner, the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, the Lord of all Time and Space. Something we've been trying to do since the first day of this bloody star cruise. Do you have a problem with that?"

Lady Paprika's eyes widened and her face flushed. She stammered for a moment before shaking her head.

"I didn't think so," the Doctor finished and sliding his arm around Rose's waist.

Rose looked around the crowded ballroom and swallowed hard. The room had fallen silent and everyone was staring at them. "Um…" she yelped, tugged at the Doctor's shirt.

He turned away from Lady Paprika and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the gawking partygoers. "Ah," he said, sounding rather embarrassed and smiling uncomfortably. "This wouldn't happen to be the 62nd century would it?" A few guests shook their heads in negation. "Good. I didn't feel much like being beheaded today. Amazing what a difference two centuries can make."

Without another word, both the Doctor tugged Rose along as they dashed out of the ballroom, narrowly avoiding several service droids that had trundled up to offer refreshment. When they reached their room, Rose fumbled with the room key for a moment before the Doctor impatiently pulled out the sonic and deactivated the lock.

They burst into the room and locked the door behind them. The Doctor flicked a switch that activated the room's "Do Not Disturb" display before turning his attention to Rose. The both looked a bit uncertain as to how to proceed, as generally by time they had reached this stage, they were interrupted by the service robots.

Rose bit her bottom lip and fidgeted uncomfortably. "So… we've got the entire rest of the cruise to shag?"

The Doctor smirked and took a step towards her. "Yes we do."

She grinned up at him as his hand skimmed down her arm and grasped her fingers. "And you fully intend to make sure none of that time is wasted?"

"Yes I do," he replied.

He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, Rose hummed softly and curved her arms around his neck. She squealed in surprise when the Doctor swept her into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He set her down gently and quickly removed his clothes. Rose watched in appreciation for a moment before following suit. She was still half-dressed when the Doctor finished stripping. He laughed, swatting her hands away, and eagerly finished the task for her. A yelp escaped her lips as he grasped her ankles and yanked her to the edge of the bed.

Kneeling down beside the bed, the Doctor placed soft kisses on her feet, nibbled at her ankles, and then licked a path up to her knees. As he placed feathery kisses up her thighs, Rose moaned and parted her legs, her hand resting lightly on the back of his head.

"You've put a lot of thought into this, yeah?" she asked breathlessly.

"Seven years worth," the Doctor replied. "And for a Time Lord… that can be quite a long time." Rose growled in annoyance as he kissed everywhere except where she most wanted, placing light kisses on the crease where her thigh met hip, before moving up to nuzzle her stomach around her navel, his tongue flicking into the indention. Rose pushed down on the top of his head, trying to urge him back to where she _needed_ his mouth to be.

The Doctor gave a filthy chuckle and caught both of her wrists, pressing them against the bed as he slowly got to his feet and continued his upward exploration, placing open mouthed kisses against her skin, his tongue darting out to sample her taste. The further up he went, the hungrier and wetter his kisses became. Rose arched and strained against him as he crawled atop her, straddling her thighs and still holding her wrists as his tongue lavished attention eagerly on her breasts, leaving a trail of cool moisture spiralling around each breast from base to tip.

He moved back and forth from one breast to the other, and then nipped and sucked at her nipples until they became hard and puckered from his attention. Moaning her name softly, he nuzzled at the space between her breasts, closing his eyes as her scent overwhelmed his senses.

"Have I told you lately how much I love how you smell… right… here," he murmured, growling softly as he licked the span of flesh between her breasts.

"You're a breast man… I've known that for some time," Rose gasped, abandoning her efforts to laugh at his obvious fixation.

The Doctor sucked hard on the curve her left breast and she moaned in response. "I think you will find I am a _Rose_ man," he said hotly, placing heated kisses against the skin above her breasts before moving to her shoulders and neck. "You're beautiful," he murmured. "And you taste like hormones, pheromones… lust and desire. It's… fantastic."

Rose felt tears sting her eyes. While she hadn't let herself go completely over the past few years, she still was no longer the slim nineteen year old who had run eagerly into the TARDIS. Despite all the running they did, she had never been able to shed all the weight she had gained during her pregnancy, and she had stretch marks on her stomach and breasts. She found it amazing that he still found her beautiful, that he could still make her _feel_ beautiful.

He finally reached her mouth, placing soft kisses around her lips. Rose whimpered softly, parting her lips and letting her tongue dart out to taste him before he pulled back abruptly. She strained against him, growling, trying to free herself from his grip. A wicked grin spread across his face.

"I could just keep doing this…" He kissed her jaw. "Or this…" He leaned down to catch her nipple between his teeth and tug gently. "And never ever give you what it is you want… and I could be content."

Rose whimpered softly, his voice flowing into her ears like honey. She writhed beneath him as he pressed her down into the bed with his body. "Liar," she whispered. "Because it's not just what _I_ what I want…" She arched against him roughly with her hips and the Doctor fell off of her just a little too easily, flopping onto the bed beside her with an over-exaggerated grunt.

Rose grinned widely and pounced on him, capturing his mouth in a heated kiss. She sank down on him with practiced ease, her mouth forming an "O" as he filled her. The Doctor hissed and growled as his hands moved to grasp her hips. Rose put her own hands flat over his hearts as he thrust his hips upward to meet each of her own downward movements.

Breathless sighs left Rose's lips before it finally occurred to her that she did not have to worry about their daughter over-hearing or exploding the door from the frame. As their movements became more frantic, she let herself go. Her loud moans and soft screams of pleasure were accompanied by the Doctor's own progressively louder shouts.

As her walls contracted around him, the Doctor's back arched, pushing himself deeper into his lover's moist heat. Rose's gasped at the raw hunger she saw blazing from the icy blue depths of his eyes. While still within her, he rolled them over and she yelped with surprise as her back came in contact with the soft mattress.

The Doctor brought one of her ankles up to his shoulder and thrust into her harder and faster. Rose was unable to more than moan and pant his name as she tried to keep uo with him. The Doctor reached between their bodied, seeking out and caressing her clit, and she fell suddenly over the edge, screaming out his name.

Her orgasm triggered his and deep shouts in his native language joined her cries of pleasure. His hips continued a staggered rhythm as he spent himself completely inside of her. He let out one last heavy groan and collapsed down onto the bed, taking Rose with him as he rolled onto his back.

Rose snuggled against his chest, smiling blissfully as he softened and slid out of her. The Doctor wrapped his arms around his mate, keeping her close as they fell asleep together.

888

They spent most of the remainder of the cruise in their cabin, thoroughly enjoying the now uninterrupted privacy. When the pair weren't busily shagging each other's brains out, Rose spent several hours with Lady Paprika's getting proper fittings for her new gown. They also managed to squeeze in a bit of star-dust surfing and traditional swimming.

By time the cruise came to an end, Rose could barely walk properly and the Doctor smirked smugly whenever he looked at her. They had caused quite a stir at the Captain's Ball when Rose appeared in the gown Lady Paprika had designed and made for her -- a silky red halter top that tied behind her back and neck and a flowing red and white silk skirt that rode low on her hips, barely reached her knees, and exposed her stomach to more than just the Doctor's greedy eyes.

After returning home to the TARDIS, they made move one last time, with Rose still wearing her new gown. Then the Doctor set the coordinates for Torchwood. They were both eager to see their daughter but sighed at the loss of freedom Muri's return would mean.


	6. Chapter 6

Epilogue  
***

Jack bit back a moan and fisted his hands in Ianto's hair. Just because guest was fast asleep in the bunkers didn't mean they could be loud and obnoxious. If anything, they had to be even quieter than usual, as the Hub often had unusual echoes. But his lover drew him even deeper into his mouth, making it harder and harder to concentrate on keeping quiet.

Suddenly, a familiar sound filled the air. Ianto released Jack with a soft _pop_ and looked around. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked

"TARDIS?" Jack's voice was high-pitched and breathless. When Ianto nodded, he replied, "Yeah, that's the TARDIS." He swore in frustration. "I'm starting to think it's a family tradition for them to interrupt things of a sexual nature."

The TARDIS was still materialising in his office when Jack abruptly pulled himself up from his desk chair and yanked up his trousers. Ianto catapulted to his feet and sat on the edge of the desk, wiping his mouth hurriedly. By the time the TARDIS finished her ancient song, they were the very models of propriety.

The TARDIS sat quietly in a corner of the Hub and Jack and Ianto looked at each other in mingled confusion and concern when no one appeared. Normally after Muri stayed over night with Jack, Rose would come rushing out immediately, eager to see her daughter after spending time apart. Jack moved cautiously towards the police box, pulling out the key he always carried, but before he reached the TARDIS, a loud thud emanated from the ship, followed by a muffled giggle.

Jack chuckled as the door flew open and Rose staggered out and fell into his arms, still giggling. He picked her up by the waist and whirled her around. The Doctor swaggered out behind his amused lover and leaned against the TARDIS doors, arms folded, with a smug look upon his face.

"You two have no idea how happy we are to see you," Ianto said fervently.

Jack held Rose at arms length and looked her over. "Is that a Lady Paprika De La Rousche ball gown?" When Rose nodded, Jack groaned with envy. "I don't know how many times I tried to get her to design something for me but she never would. You are so lucky!"

"And who is this Lady Paprika?" Ianto asked.

"Only the most highly decorated Rouschean Guru of the 60th century," Jack explained. He tucked Rose under his arm and turned towards Ianto. "Paprika and her brothers inherited the family business and started making their own designs. But then her planet was decimated by war in the late 59th century. They eventually won but the suffering was terrible. There was little food and clothing. Paprika was inspired to create beautiful designs from the tattered rags. 'Making beauty out of adversity' was her big campaign slogan. The proceeds went to help rebuild her planet."

"It doesn't look very ball gown-ish," Rose commented, looking down at her dress. "But, you know what they say… different time periods, different customs." She looked around. "Where's my little girl?"

"Mummy!" a little voice squealed and almost instantly Muri was plastered to her mother's side. "Da!" she cried, grabbing her father's jacket to pull him into a three-way hug.

Jack moved away to let the family have their reunion. Suddenly Muri pulled back and scowled up at her mother. "You two smell funny," she said, wrinkling her nose. Her eyes lit up. "Can we name him Simon Tam Tyler?"

"Who?" Rose asked questioningly. "Did you lot get her a new pet while we were gone or something?" She looked suspiciously at Jack and Ianto.

"Da said anytime you two smell funny it means you're trying to make a baby so I should leave you alone unless it's an emergency like someone is dead, dying, regenerating, or bleeding profusely… Please, Mummy, please, please? May we name him Simon?" Muri grabbed her Mum's hand and tugged her into the TARDIS, slamming the door shut behind them.

The Doctor chuckled affectionately. "Thanks," he said with a smile.

"Anytime," Jack said with a salute. "Although, you may want to have a talk with her about timing and interrupting adults doing adult oriented things."

"Ah. Yes. She knows," the Doctor said with a nod. "Had a talk with her before we dropped her off, actually. She said that the reason she interrupts is because she doesn't like the smell of the pheromones. She's a wee Time Lady with Time Lady abilities… what can we do?" He rolled his eyes and grinned before returning to the TARDIS.

As the police box began to dematerialise, Jack smirked and put an arm around Ianto's waist. "Oh well, it's better that she not like them for now I guess. If she started _liking_ them we'd need a Sontarian Battle Fleet to keep the boys away." He looked at his lover and leaned in close to brush his lips over Ianto's. "Now… where were we?"

***

fin.


End file.
